Pencil holding and carrying device



Oct. 9, 1956 F. w. BREHM PENCIL HOLDING AND CARRYING DEVICE Filed Dec.28, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

FREDERIGK W. 'BREHM United States atent Ofihce 2,765,509 Patented Oct.9, 1956 PENCIL HOLDING AND CARRYING DEVICE Frederick W. Brehm, Seattle,Wash. Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 400,710 7 Claims. (CI.24-10) My present invention relates to the general art of pencil holdingand carrying devices and more particularly to means which will enable aperson to easily secure a pencil, keys, or the like to a spring-clampingmeans which in turn can be secured to the clothing or within the handbag of the user. This contemplates the providing of a specially formedtop or clamp engaging member for a pencil or ball pen or the like and tothen supply a coacting anchor means which Will provide a convenientguiding means for the engaging member so that the same can be easilysecured in a resilient, gripping arrangement.

There are many people, particularly sales girls, waitresses, and others,who have reoccurring need for a pencil and who do not wish to bebothered with the same during the period of their activity when thepencil is not needed. In order to be of maximum use, the pencil carryingdevice must be one that can be used with one hand, which does notinvolve the use of a pocket and which will hold the pencil in the sameposition at all times so that the user may grasp the same freely withone hand without the necessity of watching the operation. In the pastmany devices have been produced purporting to provide this convenience.For instance, hooks have been provided that may be pinned to the outergarment and then a ring attached in the end of the pencil for engagementwith the hook. This device however calls for exact engaging of the twoelements and usually requires that the person carefully observe theoperation and in many instances two hands are required. This defeats theeffectiveness of any such arrangement. Another means which is suppliedto serve this field is the cap pencil wherein a chain reel is pinned, orotherwise secured, to the garment or the handbag and a pencil ispermanently secured to the end of the chain. This arrangement definitelylocates the pencil conveniently for use and does not require anydexterity in those periods when the pencil is not in use. However, ithas been found to make a reel which will be dependable in operationrequires a reel of considerable size and bulk and this further entailsconsiderable expense in the manufacture of the same so that the deviceis not readily available to the large group of persons who desire suchservices.

With this present invention it is believed that the majority of theobjections encountered with the previous equipment is largely overcomeand that a very light, ornamental anchoring means is provided which isreadily adaptable to pinning on the clothing of the user or for securingon the hand bag so that the positioning of the pencil when not in usewill be achieved. Provision is further made for guiding means ofconsiderable extent so that the user can enter the pencil top into theguide means which will easily direct it into a resilient grippingchannel or throat. Once the pencil is fitted in the resilient member itis held in position without regard to the possible inclinations of theanchor means due to movement of the individual or the hand bag. When thepencil is desired it can be obtained without visual aid and be veryconveniently released even though the anchor be secured to very lightweight clothing, for instance, as worn by saleswomen. It is thereforebelieved that a real advancement has been made in this field and thatthe present invention fully serves its intended purpose.

The principal object of my present invention therefore is to provide apencil securing and carrying device which holds a pencil in a definiteposition and in a manner so that the pencil can be easily engaged in theholding position and likewise easily released from the same through theuse only of one hand and without visual aid.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pencil carrying andpositioning device which can be lightly constructed to the end that itmay be made inexpensively from resilient materials which will give along useful life.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pencil securing andcarrying device wherein widespread guide means assist the user inplacing the pencil within the resilient gripping jaws of the devicewithout his having to observe the operation.

A further object of this operation is to provide a carrying andpositioning means for pencils, pens, keys and the like, which is capableof being constructed of very light weight material, so that it can besecured to light weight clothing without endangering the same due to theweight of the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pencil carryingdevice in which the slight amount of force required to disengage thepencil will be in an upward direction so as to place no strain on thelight weight material to which the device is secured.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from thedescription and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended orare inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the pencil positioning andcarrying device made after the teachings of this present invention andshowing a pencil engaged in the same;

Figure 2 is a front face view of a device similar in its mechanicalfunction to that shown in Figure l but illustrating another form ofornamentation that may be employed in the manufacture of this device;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the pencil anchor means illustrating aform of the device which may be used in a hand bag pocket or for similarapplication;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through a pencil securing meanswith a pencil being shown in fragmentary form, taken as a section alongthe dashed line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line 55 ofFigure 2.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure .in the drawings, thenumeral 10 designates a preferred form of engaging member. This may beformed as part of pencil P or it may be supplied as a separateattachment which may be secured to a wide variety of items. The workingportion of member 10 is provided with a truncated conical portion 12with its larger end extending away from the pencil, as illustrated, andprovided preferably with a cylindrical portion 14 and a convex endportion 16. It will be apparent, it is believed, from a study of thefollowing description that certain variations may be made in this form.However, the preferred form illustrated has been found to be very smoothworking in its operation and provides the maximum ease and security forengagement with a resilient gripping means.

The fixed anchor portion of the carrier consists essentially of abackground plate 20 and two resilient guide members as 22 and 24. Thegeneral form required for the proper functioning of this device enablesa designer to employ these principles in a wide variety of artisticarrangements, it being found that the arrangement lends itself todesigns suggestive of various flowers, as for instance, a rose, or thetulip, or it may take on the general background form of a charm orluck-piece, after the showing of Figure 2, in which a four-leaf cloveris used as a design motif.

The pencil anchor can be most economically made from a self-finishedresilient metal. However, with the current development in plasticmaterials, certain of the plastics that have resilient characteristicsmay also be employed. Guide members 22 and 24 are provided with innercurved surfaces as 26 and 28 which provide a widespread V so that arelatively large upper mouth is provided which will then guide thepencil downwardly into the narrower throat portion 30. The normal mannerof engaging the anchor is after the showing of Figure 3 which showing isalso representative of the manner in which the pencil is released. Inthe former instance a downward movement has been finished and in thelatter an upward movement is to be commenced.

Guide members 22 and 24 are formed preferably as continuations of backplate 20. With this arrangement the convex end 16 of the pencil assemblyhas a limiting surface so that it will be properly positioned to engagethe curved surfaces 26, 28 of the guide members. This becomesincreasingly important as the pencil nears throat 30. The curve orspacing of guide members 22 and 24 away from back plate varies, afterthe showing of Figures 3 and 4, and the amount of clearance in throatbears distinct relationship to the degree of taper of the conicalportion 12. A good working proportion is shown throughout the variousfigures in the drawings. As the pencil is brought downwardly in the actof engaging throat 30, it should present a diameter that is slightlygreater than the space in between guide members 22 and 24, so that thesame will be sprung sideways after the showing of the dotted lines 32 inFigure 2. This proportion will place a gripping action upon conicalportion 12 at two substantially diametrically opposed points where thecurve of the cone meets the narrow edges presented by the curvedportions 26 and 28 of members 22 and 24 respectively. Having the penciltop engaged by the guide members at diametrically opposed pointsprovides, in effect, an easy pivot arrangement so that the pencil canreadily be swung from a horizontal to a vertical position in eitherengaging the anchor or in being removed therefrom. By continuing thebottom of throat 30 around the lower bends 34 and 36, the pencil topwith its two points of contact can easily be led around the bottom ofthe slot or throat with the minimum of friction and still take advantageof the gripping action of the resilient guide members. This bottomslotting permits members 22 and 24 to flex throughout their effectivelength.

During the engaging or releasing operation it is desirable that theconcave end 16 be at all times in engagement with back plate 20 becausethat act determines at what point the guide members engage conicalportion 12 and when properly proportioned, the required amount oftension can be provided without the necessity of employing anyappreciable force either in engaging the pencil or disengaging it. Thisis a matter of considerable importance particularly when the device issecured as by safety pin to light weight wearing apparel. When theengaging member 10 has been brought to the position indicated in Figures1, 2 and 4, it is still very desirable to maintain the constant pressureon the upper portion of top 10 and this intent can be assisted byproviding a dished-out portion as 42 in back of plate 20 so that thecylindrical band 14 will, in effect, be engaged at four points. Whenthis relationship is achieved the width of band 14, which iscylindrical, tends to hold a pencil or pen in its downward positionwhich is the normal carrying position for it. Depression 42 also givesrequisite clearance when tipping the member 10 up or down, after theshowing of Figure 3, so that it in turn will function smoothly with avery lightly applied effort.

When it is wished to attach the anchor to a pocket or a securing ribbonwithin a handbag for instance, it is desired that a return bend memberas 44 be employed which will have a clamping effect. The minimumclearance is provided at 46 and an outwardly extending end at 48 so thatthe same may be conveniently engaged over the beaded edge of a pocketfor instance. When keys are to be secured, member 10 is extended asshown in Figure 3 and provided, preferably, with a hole 50 through whicha ball chain may be passed or a conventional key ring may beaccommodated.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the abovedescription and the disclosure in the drawings that the inventioneomprehends a novel construction of a holding and carrying deviceadaptable to use with pencils, pens, keys, coinholders and the like.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A device for holding a pendent article comprising a pencil on thelapel of a garment or the like, comprising: a single strip of resilientmaterial forming a vertical ornamental backing plate of floral outlineand forming a pair of juxtaposed spaced leaf shaped guide platescontinuing from the lower edge of the backing plate in a reverse bendand then upwardly to in front of and spaced from the backing plate, theadjacent edges of the guide plates forming a V with a relatively largeupper mouth and a narrower lower throat and the guide plates graduallyeurving toward said backing plate as they extend upwardly so as to havenarrower spacing therefrom at their upper portions than at their lowerportions, said pendent article having secured between said guide platesan inverted truncated conical upper end portion terminating at the baseof the cone with a cylindrical portion of the same diameter topped by aslightly convex end face, said guide plates being spaced apart adistance so as to pass, by being separated slightly, said conical endportion of said article when it is brought upward substantially normalto said backing plate, the guide plates having greater resistance topassing the article when brought upward in other positions because ofthe greater dimensions of the article presented, and means for securingthe backing plate to a supporting surface.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said backing plate has adished portion located to permit said convex end face of said article topass in pivoting said article from a horizontal position to saiddepending position, the side edges of said dished portion pressing saidcylindrical portion of said article in said depending position togetherwith said adjacent edges of said guide plates providing four points ofcontact with said cylindrical portion to resist pivoting thereof.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said article is a key holderand said securing means is a return bend extending from the upper edgeof said backing plate adapted to clamp a supporting surface such as apocket of a handbag against said backing plate.

4. A device for holding a pendent article such as a pencil on asupporting surface such as the lapel of a garment, comprising: avertical backing plate and a pair of juxtaposed spaced resilient guideplates extending from the lower portion of the backing plate in areverse bend and then upwardly to in front of and spaced from thebacking plate, the adjacent edges of the guide plates forming a V with arelatively large upper mouth and a narrower lower throat and the guideplates gradually bending toward said backing plate as they extendupwardly so as to have narrower spacing therefrom at their upperportions than at their lower portions, said pendent article havingsecured between said guide plates an upper end portion which flares froma narrower diameter to a larger diameter as it extends toward the upperend; said guide plates being spaced apart a distance so as to pass,

by being separated slightly, said flaring end portion of said articlewhen it is brought upward substantially normal to said backing plate,the guide plates having greater resistance to passing the article whenbrought upward in other positions because of the greater dimensions ofthe article presented, and means for securing the backing plate to asupporting surface.

5. The subject matter of claim 4 in which said backing plate oppositesaid lower throat between said guide plates has a lower portion offsetfarther toward the rear of the backing plate than the portion thereaboveproviding additional clearance for pivoting of said upper portion ofsaid article between a depending position and a horizontal position.

6. A device for holding a pendent article such as a pencil on asupporting surface such as the lapel of a garment, comprising: avertical backing plate and a pair of juxtaposed spaced resilient guideplates extending from the lower portion of the backing plate in areverse bend and then upwardly to in front of and spaced from thebacking plate, the adjacent edges of the guide plates forming an openthroat, said pendent article having secured between said guide plates anupper end portion which flares from a narrower diameter to a largerdiameter as it extends toward the upper end; said guide plates beingspaced apart a distance so as to pass, by being separated slightly, saidflaring end portion of said article when it is brought upwardsubstantially normal to said backing plate, the guide plates havinggreater resistance to passing the article when brought upward in otherpositions because of the greater dimensions of the article presented,and means for securing the backing plate to a supporting surface.

7. A device for holding a pendent pencil or the like on a supportingsurface such a the lapel of a garment, comprising: a vertical backingplate and a pair of juxtaposed spaced guide plates extending from thelower portion of the backing plate in a reverse bend and then upwardlyto in front of and spaced from the backing plate, the adjacent edges ofthe guide plates forming an open throat, a pendent article havingsecured between said guide plates an upper end portion which widens froma narrower diameter to a larger diameter as it extends toward the upperend and said upper end portion being removable through said throat whenbrought upward in horizontal disposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS208,464 Christey Oct. 1, 1878 374,715 Sullivan Dec. 13, 1887 527,793Jaeger Oct. 23, 1894 584,907 Upson June 22, 1897 740,964 Wintsch Oct. 6,1903 755,555 Weaver Mar. 27, 1904 884,256 Addie Apr. 7, 1908 1,120,182Drewelow Dec. 8, 1914 1,506,207 Wahl Aug. 26, 1924

